Ghana friendly is not a meaningless match for Gareth Barry

Fabio Capello may have appeared to do his utmost to make England's friendly against Ghana tonight a meaningless affair but try telling that to the players with a point to prove.

The Italian's controversial decision to allow five senior stars, including his new permanent skipper John Terry, to return to their respective clubs shows just how seriously he is taking the match at Wembley.

No one will have more motivation to do just that than Manchester City midfielder Gareth Barry and it's not only because he is getting the chance to captain the side in the absence of more illustrious team-mates.

The 30-year-old has gone from being regarded as one of Capello's key men at the World Cup last year to watching Scott Parker impress in his place in the European Championship qualifier against Wales on Saturday, with Barry not even making the 18-man matchday squad.

With Parker the new flavour of the month, all of a sudden Barry's career at this level is looking bleak but then he has been in this position before.

The City star is one of two players, David Beckham being the other, to have played under every manager since Kevin Keegan was at the helm.

However, having won the first of his 45 caps 11 years ago, he suffered a lengthy spell between 2003 and 2007 where he was ignored by his country and feared another chance may not come again.

That is why he takes offence at the suggestion that the match against Ghana has little at stake because he knows his international future, as well as that of the other players involved in tonight's team, could be determined.

Barry told Standard Sport: "This is not a meaningless friendly. There is going to be a team going out tonight and it's a great opportunity for them, me included, to show the manager and the supporters what they can do in an England shirt.

"I remember what it was like when I was out of the team for four years and I don't want to go back there. It was a tough time for me.

"When you're starting your career and you have a taste of international football and suddenly you're in the wilderness a little bit, that's hard.

"It's a great learning curve. Things can change quickly if you keep working hard, if you don't you can fade away. I have played under every manager since Kevin Keegan and there were ups and downs along the way. I'm really looking forward to getting a chance to play again tonight. We don't look at it as a game with nothing at stake."

The sight of British record transfer Andy Carroll leading the line should also provide some excitement and the Liverpool striker will have more reason than most to impress.

Wayne Rooney's needless yellow card against Wales means he will be suspended for the next Euro 2012 qualifier against Switzerland in just over two months' time.

Obviously there is competition to take his place and Carroll can go some way to making a starting spot his own with a strong display against the African side tonight. In truth, the 22-year-old also needs to begin performing for his own benefit having joined Liverpool for a massive £35million from Newcastle in the January window.

The trials and tribulations of £50m striker Fernando Torres at Chelsea has taken some of the heat away, as well as the fact he had to wait several weeks for his career at Anfield to start due to a thigh injury.

There have been flashes of his tremendous talent in his four appearances for Liverpool so far but the fact remains he hasn't scored a goal since December and he will want to find the net again sooner rather than later.

Significantly, Capello has admitted he is concerned over Carroll's physical condition and behaviour off the field, saying: "I think he's not fit like in November. He needs more games - I think more than three or four games, minimum, to return to being the same player he was in November.

"This is a friendly game and in a friendly game, he can play up to half-time, or more, or 60 minutes. For this reason, this game is important for him and for me.

"His behaviour now is really, really important. He needs to be careful at every moment.

"When you play with the England national team, at every moment you are the focus of the fans, the newspapers, the photographers and the people that live around him."

Midfielder Jack Wilshere is having to cope with similar scrutiny, which is only bound to increase following his impressive display against Wales.

It says much for Capello's faith in the 19-year-old that he is one of the few players from Saturday's victory in Cardiff who will also start against Ghana.

Arsenal may prefer he gets some rest like Terry and Co but the Gunners star's presence on the field will be some consolation for the England supporters, who have paid up to £40 to see their side in action.

Wilshere's England future is already secure. Many of his team-mates will have to impress tonight to be able to say the same.